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Age Quote by John C. Wright

“Men's souls are crooked and unsound things, not good materials out of which to build friendships, families, households, cities, civilizations. But good or no, these things must be built, and we must craft them with the materials at hand, and make as strong and stubborn redoubt as we can make, lest…” quote by John C. Wright
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“Men's souls are crooked and unsound things, not good materials out of which to build friendships, families, households, cities, civilizations. But good or no, these things must be built, and we must craft them with the materials at hand, and make as strong and stubborn redoubt as we can make, lest the horrors of the Night should triumph over us, not in some distant age to come, but now.”

John C. Wright

About This Quote

Human nature is flawed, yet societies must be built using imperfect people, requiring strong resolve to prevent chaos.

In simple terms: People are imperfect, but we must still create societies.

Key Takeaway

Build resilient structures despite human flaws.

Themes

society human nature imperfection resilience construction

Mood

cautious determined

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

  • government formation
  • community building
  • urban planning

Key Concepts

ethical philosophy social contract collective action

Questions to Reflect On

  • What safeguards can we embed to counter human weakness?
  • How do we balance optimism with realism?
A Different Perspective

Human flaws may undermine even the best designs.

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